The Missing Years!
by Fan.Of.Many.Things
Summary: The 19 years that are missing from the 7th book! Canon. H/G Hr/R. Starts off at K but might get higher in later chapters!
1. Chapter 1 What Happens Now ?

_**The Missing Years**_

_**Chapter 1- What Happens Now!?!**_

Harry stood in the middle of Dumbledore's office with too many thoughts running through his head to make sense of any of them. He needed to sleep, then he could talk, he was sure he would be made to eventually and he felt he may as well start his many tellings of the past year with the people he most cared for- Ron, Hermione, the Weasley's- well one Weasley in particular, Ginny. He wanted to run from the room he was currently confined in and hold her. It was all he had wanted since Bill and Fleur's wedding. Just to hold her, take in everything about her, every tiny detail of her beautiful face, even her smell- that smell he had noticed when he first saw love potion. The scent of Ginny.

He turned around and saw his two dearest friends standing looking at him. It was only now that he realised that he had stopped half way towards the door that would lead back to reality so he could think. He sent a smile in their direction and was surprised that after everything that had happened tonight, that it came naturally. Whether or not his friends noticed, he didn't know. He nodded and continued walking. Things were going to be okay now, he could feel it.

The trio reached the bottom of the spiral staircase Harry had used so many times in his sixth year, where the biggest part of his destiny had taken place- in the office above them now he had been praised, he had grieved, and he had learnt of the prophecy and learned what he had to do to once and for all defeat Voldemort- he had learned that he would have to die.

He took a deep breath and turned around to face Ron and Hermione. They were standing close together with the backs of their hands only centimetres apart. Harry smiled, leaned over and placed their hands in one another's. They looked at him with opened mouths and Harry only laughed.

"Now is the time" He said to them, still smiling.

This time they smiled back and Harry distinctly saw their grip tighten on each other.

"We should probably get some rest now, right?" Asked Ron with a glance at both of them to make sure he had said the right thing- a habit that he had formed ever since he had rejoined them halfway through their search for the horcruxes. Hermione only smiled and nodded. Ron looked relieved as he always did.

"First of all though, I think that you two should find the Weasleys, make sure everyone's okay," At that comment he noticed Hermione's knowing glance at him "Also, I need you to let your mum know that I'm O.K Ron, 'cause there is no doubt in my mind that she'll be worrying herself sick about me" Ron nodded with a small smile and so Harry continued "Just let them all know that I needed rest, and tell them that I'll talk to everyone in the morning, but don't stay too long, you both need your rest as well. Oh and make sure that they get to bed too."

Giving Ron and Hermione orders came naturally to him now, although he was reluctant at the start of their quest. He looked at them both for confirmation that they would do as he asked when Ron asked,

"Why don't you just come down to The Great Hall with us for a couple of minutes mate, 'cause mum will need to see for herself that your okay before she'll calm down?" He grinned as Harry and Hermione laughed,

"Ron obviously, Harry would love to come down with us but just look at him- he looks like he's about to drop dead of exhaustion. Plus there's probably millions of reporters from the daily prophet down there and I know that's the last thing he needs right now."

She looked over at Harry and he gave her a brilliant smile of thanks. At that point it finally washed over Ron and Hermione like it had Harry a few moments ago that it was over. It was the first time either of them had seen him truly smile in a long time. His smile was infectious and soon all three of them were just standing there with huge smiles plastered all over their faces before Harry finally broke the silence,

"Thank you." He said "Thank you for everything both of you have ever done for me."

And with that he stepped forward and embraced both of them in a huge hug. He broke away to find Hermione in tears and Ron standing next to her with a goofy grin on his face which Harry was sure he was mirroring at that moment. He turned around and walked away towards the portrait of the fat lady where he would call Kreacher, and get food, and fall asleep happily, without worrying what tomorrow would bring for the first time in a very long time.

.---------

As they watched their best friend walk away, happy but tired, they took a moment to take in what had actually happened. Ron and Hermione looked at the devastation around them. Down the corridor facing them was a massive hole in the wall that showed a beautiful scene of the lake with a star strewn sky above it- had it not been for the fact that there was something seriously wrong with there being a huge hole in one of the castle's walls, it would have been a very romantic sight.

Ron quickly noticed that he and Hermione were still holding hands, and since she had not let go since Harry had left them, he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug that would make his mother proud. As he began to let her go, Hermione snaked her arms around his neck, and pulled his head down to hers until their lips met. It was soft and sweet, and over way too quickly for Ron's liking, so he leant forward yet again and kissed her with more passion this time. When it was time to re-surface for air Hermione smiled and took hold of his hand again, as they began their decent down through the debris riddled halls of their beloved Hogwarts, to The Great Hall.

As they walked they passed more holes, scorch marks on the walls and ceilings where spells had missed, blood stains where things had gotten messy and debris and dust always covering the floors.

When they reached The Entrance Hall they were met once again with a scene of devastation. The banister on the staircase was missing in some places and the stones that showed the house points were scattered everywhere, mainly emeralds, as this year it would have only been Slytherin's getting points. But there were a few stones scattered around the floor that represented Hufflepuff and Rvenclaw, but virtually none for Gryffindor.

Ron and Hermione walked through the double doors, into The Great Hall, and made a b-line for the group of red hair near the middle of the hall where they were crowding around Fred's body. Ginny was the first to notice their arrival and immediately asked the question they had been ready to answer,

"Where's Harry!?!"

It was Hermione who answered as she seemed to have formed a bond with the younger girl over the years, the rest of the family had noticed their arrival now and were listening,

"He needed rest Gin, he said that he would come and talk to everyone in the morning."

She looked at Ginny as she said "everyone" and told her through her eyes that Harry really wanted to see her tomorrow. Ginny nodded with a slight smile of thanks and walked over to hug them both. Just as she lat go Mrs Weasley practically ran at them brandishing her arms like a crazy person and engulfing them both in the infamous Mrs Weasley "rib-cracker", all the while tears streaked down her face and fell with a splash to the floor. She stepped back and held them both at arms length while she looked over them,

"Oh dears, you're both looking a bit peaky. We'll get a good meal in you when we get back to The Burrow."

Everyone who had heard the exchange laughed at how Mrs Weasley still found time to look after the pair after all that had taken place. But neither Ron nor Hermione could disagree- they hadn't had a decent meal since they had left Shell Cottage which seemed a lifetime ago. When Mrs Weasley finally let them go the rest of the family stepped forward to hug them and offer words of comfort. When they had been around the whole family, Ron spoke up,

"Harry wanted to let you all know that he was okay and just needed rest and tell you all to get to sleep too!"

Everyone either smiled or chuckled but agreed that they would stay at the school for the night and then go back to The Burrow in the morning.

The Weasley family, plus Hermione, left The Great Hall and headed out through the disaster stricken halls and made their way up to the Gryffindor common room where anyone who needed a place to stay could sleep. Pupils went to their own common rooms along with their parents. The group got to the portrait of the fat lady before they realised that none of them knew the password. They looked at one another before Ginny stepped forward and took a guess,

"Harry Potter?"

"Correct!" Ginny looked around at everyone beaming as the portrait swung wide to admit them entrance.

As they stepped through they were met by a crowded common room full of celebrators and mourners alike. The group looked around as everyone looked back at them. Silently Ginny and Hermione left for Ginny's dormitory as it would be empty because everyone in her year had been too young to join the battle, and so had went home. They walked up the spiral staircase and without saying a word, got ready and fell asleep. There would be time for words in the morning.

Ron meanwhile went up the spiral staircase that led to the boy's dormitories where he knew he would find Harry- whether he would be asleep he didn't know. When he opened the door he looked over and saw him sleeping. Peacefully for once. He wasn't thrashing around and Ron thought that it was about time it happened for him. He silently got ready, climbed into his own bed and went to sleep peacefully across from his best friend, who had just been to hell and back, and still managed to sleep.

Ron fell asleep with thoughts of Fred, memories of the recent battle and questions about what would happen between himself and Hermione. Were they a couple now? He knew he wanted to be, but did she? His last thought though was of his sister and what would happen between her and his best friend in the bed set next to him. Harry was back for good now, Ron knew that he would never voluntarily leave Ginny again, and deep down, Ron knew they loved each other.


	2. Chapter 2 Home Sweet Home

Harry awoke from a peaceful sleep that had been filled with dreams of Ginny. He couldn't wait to see her today. He rolled over to see Ron's bed empty, strange as he had distinctly heard someone come in last night- plus there had been movement at the bed next to him. That was when he decided to grab his glasses and watch from his bedside table. He shoved his glasses onto his face and looked down at the watch Mr and Mrs Weasley had given him on his seventeenth birthday. It was already 1:45! No wonder everyone was gone. He slowly got out of bed, being careful not to move too fast as his body was stiff from the battle from the previous night. He got a shower to try and ease his muscles and then got dressed and headed down the spiral staircase, to the common room where he hoped there wasn't too many people. He only wanted to see the Weasley's.

He rounded the corner and everything went silent. Then there was an uproar and everyone ran to him. At the front of the group was the only person he wanted to see. Ginny. His face broke into a huge grin and he quickly closed the gap between them. He engulfed her in an enormous hug and buried his face in her fiery red hair.

"Ginny… I'm so sorry… for everything…" She cut him off with her own words,

"Don't… I don't want to hear it!" And with that she claimed his lips with hers.

Like their first kiss, there was cheering and wolf whistles from all around them. Harry didn't know how long they stayed like that, but he was in bliss, he finally had Ginny back in his arms. Then it was over, a hand on his shoulder brought him out of his trance. He broke away reluctantly and looked up to see Ron smiling down at him.

"I'm happy for you guys and all, but do you mind not doing that in front of all five of her over-protective brother's!?!" Harry looked around him to see four slightly annoyed red heads.

"Sorry guys" he said sheepishly, but he couldn't hide his smile, he had a feeling that it was going to take a while until he could stop.

"No! He has nothing to be sorry for! So he will keep doing that in front of my idiot brother's- so get used to it!!!" And with that her lips were back on his, with not much protesting coming from Harry.

..---------

Time seemed to be moving too fast. Before he knew it, Harry was talking with Kinsley, who had been named temporary Minister For Magic, in the Gryffindor common room. The conversation had started normally, congratulations, thanks, and then unusually enough turned to an offer Harry had not expected.

"Harry, I would like to offer you a position in the auror office of the Ministry of Magic. Ron of course, if he wishes, can also join you. I think it's clear that you both deserve the opportunity, and I know that both of you have shown interest in that particular field. What do you say?"

"I……Well……I……Yes! I mean, wouldn't we need our NEWTS first? We could go back to Hogwarts to finish our last year if that would be better, if Professor McGonagall lets us of course, we have caused an awful lot of trouble. I mean we wouldn't want any special treatment, we don't want to stand out, or be resented……"

"Harry, I don't think anyone would resent you and Ron the positions. Not after everything you both have been through, not only this past year, but really since you started school. You don't need NEWTS to prove to us all you deserve these opportunities. You both have offices waiting for you if you choose to accept the offer. Talk to Ron, tell him it's your own decisions, I'll be waiting for your answer. Goodbye Harry, and thanks again." He walked away leaving Harry standing there dumbfounded.

He and Ron had just been offered their dream jobs. Remembering about Ron, Harry spun round looking for his redheaded best friend. He quickly located the whole family at the other end of the common room and ran over to them. He pulled Ron away from the family to tell him the news.

"Ron…Ron…"

"Mate, what is it!?!"

"Kingsley was just talking to me, and after the usual thanks and congratulations,

which will probably proceed every conversation I ever have from this day forward…"

"Harry, just tell me what you wanted to tell me. Your starting to ramble."

"Oh…right. Ermm…yeah…Kinsley, talking to me. Okay. We, if we want, have offices waiting for us at the auror office. We can start with no NEWTS needed! We can just go straight into our lives. We are done with school, Voldemort, everything. What do you say, Kinsley's waiting for our answers?"

"Oh man Harry…It sounds great! But……I…uh…I kinda already said that I would help out George for a while……you know with the shop…and since Fred, you know?"

"Oh yeah…I never thought about that…Well I mean, we could help out at the shop for a while, you know until George feels up to it himself, and then we can go into auror work. I'm sure Kingsley won't mind, I mean I'm sure he would understand, he knew Fred and George from the order so……"

"Harry, shut it! You know as well as I do that George does not need both of us working at the shop. Okay, you are going to go to Kinsley and tell him that you would be happy to join the aurors and that I need to help out with family stuff but that I would love to be an auror once I'm done. If the positions still up for grabs that is. Plus, it's called WEASLEYS Wizard Wheezes. No offence but, your not a Weasley……yet."

After that confusing end to the conversation, he turned away from Harry leaving him to seek out the Minister by himself and tell him the good news.

After the main plans had been confirmed, Harry along with the only people he counted as family, Hermione and The Weasley's, headed back to The Burrow. They were permitted to use the fireplace in McGonagall's office and within seconds of saying the name of the place he counted home, he was there, after enduring, what he had come to expect of travelling by floo, a swirling green blur, that he didn't seem to mind as much this time, for he knew he was going home.

He stepped out of the fireplace, and into the messy, magic filled kitchen he had loved since first setting eyes on it. He just stood for a moment, taking everything in that he loved, while the people he loved poured out of the fireplace behind him. Right at that moment he couldn't have been happier. Surrounded by people he loved, and who actually loved him back, standing in one of his favourite places in the whole world, knowing he had nothing more to do with Voldemort and the prophecy, and that he was free to do as he wished with his life. To love who he wanted to love, hate who he wanted to hate, be where he wanted to be, and live how he wanted to live. As all these thoughts were going through his mind, someone came up behind him and instantly, he knew who it was, even before the hand slipped into his, or the lips reached his cheek. Ginny. The beautiful smell now unconditionally associated with her reached him before either of the physical signs told him. He turned round and wound his arms around her, happy when her own locked around his waist. Now he had Ginny back in his arms, he silently vowed to himself he would never let her go again.

"What are you thinking?" She asked him,

"That there is honestly no other place I would rather be. Home. With you. What are you thinking?"

"The same." Is all she said. And to be perfectly honest, it was all Harry needed to be even happier than he thought possible. Those two simple words. Who knew they

could cause so much joy? At that moment, Harry knew.

_..---------_

_Hello all! Happy new year!!! Sorry it has took a while, but the 2__nd__ chapter has finally arrived. The first few chapters may be a little boring but I'm just getting everything in order before the real story begins. For all you Ron/Hermione fans reading this, there will be more action from them coming soon. As well as more Harry/Ginny too. As I say the first few chapters will be boring. Anyway, Please give me more reviews, it's really nice to hear that people enjoy your work. Will update soon. Promise. It will be sooner than this!_


	3. Chapter 3 Remember and laugh

The next few weeks passed in a blur for Harry. Time seemed to be filled solely with funerals. Harry didn't think he had ever cried as much in his life, he didn't feel the need to stop the tears flowing. The first was Colin Creevey. From that point on they seemed to get worse, every time it was someone he cared even more for.

When it came to Remus and Tonks' time, Harry could hardly speak through his tears, and if it hadn't been for the small but reassuring hand in his, he didn't know how he would have gotten through the day. He was proud when he saw the small inscription on remus' headstone that he had requested. Only two words, but two more suitable words Harry didn't think anyone could find. It said simply -

_Mischief Managed_

Next was Fred. Harry knew that this was the last funeral he had to go to, but it seemed they had left the worst for last. George was a wreck. He hid it well, but after knowing him for seven years it was easy to see. Everyone was waiting in the living room of The Burrow for him, already ready to leave. The entire family turned round to look at the stairs as they heard slow footsteps approach, and a creaky floorboard announcing his presence. He appeared at the top of the staircase, ready to go in a smart suit and black tie. Classy. Just what Fred deserved. Ron walked up to him and put his hand on George's shoulder. No words were needed for Fred to know what Ron meant. Everybody was there for him, he didn't have to do it alone.

Together they walked down the stairs towards the rest of the waiting family. This was going to be hard on all of them. They all needed each others comfort. For once it was Harry who was holding Ginny's hand to help her. Although Ginny had been friends with Colin, Remus and Tonks, she needed Harry much more today than she had done at any of the other funerals.

It was to be held in the garden of The Burrow. A large tent had been put up like at Bill and Fluer's wedding, however instead of being filled with party decorations, it had a much more sombre appearance. It seemed that everyone was there. Teachers, students, anyone who had ever met Fred had come to pay respects to the boy they instantly liked upon meeting. The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione stayed together as much as they could, but they couldn't help but get torn apart every once in a while when someone wanted to pay respects to a single person. When it came time for the speeches, George slowly made his way up to address the waiting crowd.

"Fred would have hated this. He would have stood here and asked why everyone was acting so miserable."

A smile escaped him while everyone looked either confused or shocked at what he was saying.

"I know he won't ever come back. We won't ever pull another prank together. We won't ever poke fun of Ikle Roniikens together again. I know he won't ever come back. But if we don't celebrate what time we had with him, and instead grieve for the time we've now lost…he won't ever forgive us, and I know that for a fact. So don't cry now over the loss of his life, but laugh with me, and remember the fun he brought to yours. You wouldn't be here if you didn't have at least one good memory of him. So please concentrate on that for me. For Fred."

And with a small wave of his wand, the black hangings so reminiscent of the end of year feast after Cedric's murder, changed to bright orange ones, the colour of the Weasleys hair, with a huge 'F' emblazoned on each of them. Another wave set off a box of their fireworks, and everyone ran outside to watch them.

"Did you know that he was planning this?" Ron's voice came half laughing from beside him.

"No" Harry didn't think anybody had known what he was planning. He highly doubted that if Mrs Weasley had known, he would have gotten away with it. However a swift look across the table showed her smiling slightly even against her better judgement.

Slowly after everyone had paid respects and enjoyed talking about the time they had shared with Fred, people began to leave The Burrow, and the Weasleys, to grieve on their own. It was well after midnight however by the time they had all gone to bed.

Harry lay awake in bed longer than any of the others. He had heard Ron start to snore gently within minutes of his head hitting his pillow, and the noises from all over The Burrow began to die down quickly after that. He knew that everyone was drained by this point, and knew that he should be too, however he couldn't stop himself from smiling slightly in the darkness. He felt bad for thinking such happy thoughts straight after the funeral of somebody he counted as a brother, but he help but think that finally, after 17 years, it was over. Although Voldemort had been gone for a while now, Harry had been constantly reminded of the battle, the destruction, and the deaths of people he had loved over the course of the funerals he had had to attend. Now though that the last one was over, he felt the remainder of the weight lift from his shoulders. It was a weight he hadn't even realized he still had, but now that he could truly relax, and start his life free from his entwined destiny with Voldemort, he couldn't help but smile and feel anything but relief. He sighed contentedly and rolled over to get more comfortable. He closed his eyes and with the comforting sounds of Ron's snores and the gentle creaks of the home around him, he drifted off the sleep ready to start his life for real when the sun rose the next day.

_..-_

_Hello! Again the first thing I have to do is apologise. After promising you all with a faster update I ended up taking longer than I had between the first 2 chapters. BUT I have genuine reasons. 1) After New Year I was into the last few months of the school year and I had important exams I needed to study for! (in my eyes I was sitting my N.E. because that would sort of work out to be the equivelant) 2) I had serious SERIOUS writers block. I honestly hated writing this chapter because it took me so long and as it was all about the funerals just made me sad. 3) At one point in these long months my laptop broke and I had to get a new one after transferring everything and getting past that whole escapade. Anyway along with the fact I also was trying to keep up a life at the same time it just took forever to get this chapter finished. _

_I love everyone that has reviewed this and/or added it to their favourites and I just wanted to say how grateful I am to you all. (shout out to Alison one of my friends at school who kept pestering me to update this! Sorry it took so long =D)_

_Well it is now officially the summer holidays and as a result I have more free time and what with the impending release of The Deathly Hallows Part 2 Im feeling more than a little inspired. Im not going to make any promises this time because I don't want to disappoint anyone (even though I've probably already done that) because I really appreciate everyone and anyone who takes the time to read my story (and now this). Anyone Im talking too much, and usually really hate when people go on at the end of their fics. I just felt I owed you all an apology and a thank you and I swear I won't go on like this next time._

_I love you all. Thank you again. Review if you feel like it…and if you don't…oh well! I won't withhold a chapter if I don't get reviews, but don't take that as an excuse not to! I still love hearing what people think good or bad! _

_Anyway…bye! =D _

_Sarah Xxx_


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